Propelling apparatus for boats.



NoqaaAzA y f PATENTBD oc T.3o',19o6.

' f A l L. RUSSELL.'

PROPELLING APPARATUS PoR BoATs.

f APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1905.

' the term boats Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

` PROPELLING APPARATUS FORH BOATS.

.Y ,Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ea oct. "so, 1906.

Application led November 24, 1905. Serial No- 288,828.

T0 cir/ZZ whom it may concern:

`Be it known that l, AUSTIN L. RUSSELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State 4of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Propelling Apparatus for Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such. as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. A My invention has for itsobject to provide an improved propelling apparatus for boats,

being used broadly to include crafts of all sizes and character.

TO the above ends the invention consists of the novel ydevices and -combinations of devices-hereinafter described, and deiined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, illustrating my inventionA as applied to a launch. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line x2 :n2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, but with parts broken away and with the parts shown in different positions. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately -on the line 904 :c4 of Fig. 2 g and Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line :v5 :c5 of Fig; 2, but showing the parts on a larger scale. i

The numeral 1 indicates the hull of a boat, the same having in its bottom a raised portion 2 Jfor a purpose which will presently apear. p The numeral 3 indicatesa long and quite large tube which operates as a plunger or blade-carrier and which works longitudinally through suitable seats formed in the end walls of the raised portion 2 and'which seats may, if desired, be rovided with stuffingboxes. (Not shown. Mounted to work radially through seats in that portion of the tube 3 that works between the end walls of the raised portion 2 of the boat-hull is a plurality of i'lat propelling-blades 4. These propelling-blades 4 are arranged in pairs that set endwise in vertical planes for movements in o posite directions on horizontal lines. At tlieir inner ends these blades 4 are connected by short links 5 to crank-disks 6, which disks are arranged in pairs one directly above the to saidA tube.

other and are loosely journaledl on vertical rods 7, secured at their upper andlowerends to the' upper and lower portions ofthe sleeve 3. The radial movements of the blades 4 are guided by bearing -brackets 8', rigidly 4'secured within the tube 3. The outer edges of said ropelling-blades 4 are formedon such curved lines that they will lie ilushfwith the outer surface of said tub'e 3 'when theblades v'are drawn inward, as shown in Fig.A 3.

A straight-line reciprocating motor, such as a simple air-engine comprising a cylinder 9 and a piston 10, is mounted in one-end of the tube 3, the said cylinder being rigidly secured The rod 11 of the piston lO'has an extension 12, the outer end of which works through a bearing afforded by atransverse bar 13, rigidly secured within the tube 3. The intermediate portion of thero'd eX- tension 12 is flattened and is provided with longitudinal slots 14, that embrace the rollers l 15 of the connected pairs of crank-disks 6. Reversely-inclined links 16 independently connect the crank-disks 6 to therod extension 12.

'The engine 9 10 is provided with the usual steam or air chest 17 and distribution-valve 18, which distribution-valve'coperateswith that is connected by a pitman 25l to one end.`

of the tube 3.

The operation is as follows: Under a rotary movement of the shaft 23 and crank 24 the tube or blade carrier 3 will be reciprocated from Jf'ront toward the rear of the boat, and vice versa. When the tube 3 reaches its extreme rearmost position, the collar 21 of the valve-stem 19 is thrown against the bearing or guide bracket 20 and the distributionvalve is moved forward in the steam-chest 17, thereby admitting steam or air into the left-hand end of the cylinder 9, and thereby causing the piston to move toward the right, which movement of said iston through the rod extension 12, crankisks 6, and links 5 IOG IIO'

and 16 causes the propelling-blades 4 to move inward into the inoperative positions shown in Fig. 3. Hence when the tube 3 is moved toward the front of the boat' the propelling-blades 4 make their inoperative stroke and do not act upon the water. When the tube 3 reaches its extreme position toward the right or toward the iront of the boat, the collar 22 of the valve-stem 19 is thrown against the bracket 20, thereby movingthe distribution-valve 18 toward the left, admitting steam into the right-hand end of the cylinder 9 and causing the piston 10 to move toward the left, which movement of said pistonthrough the rod extension 12, crankdisks 6, and linksL 5 and 16 moves the propellingblades 4- outward into operative positions, as shown .inFigs 2 and'. Hence when the tube 3 Ais moved rearward the said propelling-blades act with a direct thrust upon the water and cause the boat to move forward.

The engine 9 10 may be operated either by steam oriair and such motive i'luid may be supplied thereto Jfrom any suitable source through a flexible connection, such as a hose' 26, which, as shown, is applied to a nipple 27, which in turn opens into the steam-chest 17, as shown in Fig. 4.

The device described is thought to be ethcient for the purposes had' in view.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination withgaboat-body, of a reciprocating tube, the intermediate portion of which is exposed to the water, propeller- Ablades mounted to move radially into and out of said tube,'mechanism within said tube for moving said propeller-blades alternately inward and outward at the limits of said tubes .reciprocating movement, and means for reciprocating said tube, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a boat-body, of a reciprocating tube mounted on said boatbody and having its intermediate portion exposed to the water, means for reciprocating said tube, crank-disks arranged in p airs within said tube, a reciprocating rod, links connecting said rod to said crank-disks, other links connecting said crank-disks to said propeller-blades, and means for moving said rod at the limits of said tubesreciprocating movement, to alternately move saidblades outward and inward, substantiallyl as described. y

3. rlhe combination with a boat-body, of a tube mounted thereon and having its intermediate portion only exposed to the water, propeller-blades mounted to move radially into and out of said tube, a cylinder and piston-engine mounted in said tube, the piston thereof having an extended rod, crank-disks mounted in said tube and arranged in pairs, the members of the pairs one over the other, links connecting said propellerblades land said extended piston-rod tosaid crank-disks, and means for reversing Athe action of said engine at the limits of said tubes reciprocating movements, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

` AUSTIN L. RUSSELL. Witnesses:

MALIE HoEL,

F. D. MERCHANT. 

